Bangkok and Second Chances

The first time that I visited Bangkok, Thailand, I could’ve sworn I would never be back. Last December, I came to the city for three reasons: (1) curiosity, (2) reliable internet, and (3) to reconnect with a friend. The hostel I chose to work at was minimal and stylish. It was a good place for me to get work done, but there were no vegan options around which made eating a challenge. Each night, I’d take a moto-taxi 20 minutes to the other side of the city to have dinner with my friend. The city didn’t impress me… well, it impressed me, but it didn’t delight me. For example, Chinatown was an overwhelming and energizing experience. The random parks I happened upon while walking were filled with a variety of trees and plants I’d never seen before. Walking through the city at night, I crossed bridges, temples, and statues that were well lit and beautifully designed. The worst part of it all was Mariah Carey.

Yes, you read that correctly. Mariah Carey. Every night, there was a light show on a bridge close by. Every 20 minutes, even if there were no tours running, All I want for Christmas is you, would play loud enough that you couldn’t hear the person talking next to you. It was awful. 

I wanted to run away from Bangkok. All the traffic and noise were driving me nuts! I guess there was nothing outwardly wrong, but the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth. 

Fast forward 3 months later, I decided to take a 14 hour train ride back to the country’s capital on a whim. I bought my ticket hours before departure and didn’t have anything planned for my arrival. I couldn’t help but wonder what was waiting for me on the other side of that train. Turns out that Bangkok wanted redemption.

Couchsurfing on a whim

At 7:05 am after a long night sleeping on the floor, I leaned into the window of the parked train to invite another solo traveler to breakfast. While we enjoyed a vegan waffle and some tea, I used the wifi to look for my accommodation.

“Wait, do you want me to ask my couch surfing host if he’d be happy to host you too?” Nastia asked halfway into our meal. 

And that’s how I met Knot, a true Bangkokian (or whatever a Thai person from Bangkok is called). It was thanks to his generosity and presence that my perspective on the city changed dramatically. It’d been a while since I used couchsurfing, but I was happy for the opportunity to connect with some travelers this way.

Bicycle Rides and Yellow Flags

I never saw Knot’s couchsurfing profile, but he must be some kind of super host. Nastia and I slept comfortably on his couch that opened up into a double bed and in our free time, we went riding through the city on 3 out of 5 of Knot’s bikes. Navigating the busy streets was hard, but Knot led us down local alleyways where there wasn’t much traffic. Since Nastia and I are vegan, Knot showed us a few yellow flags and taught us how to say, “vegan” in Thai (jay). You might be wondering what these yellow flags are about. Well, in Thailand, yellow flags are hung outside of restaurants that serve plant based vegan/ vegetarian food! That’s a quick tip I really appreciated. It was sweet to see the women’s response to us as Knot’s guests. In my last visit in the city, the locals kept their distance, but with Knot, we were offered various foods for free and asked questions about ourselves. Seeing the locals relaxed and laughing gave me a different perspective on these city dwellers. 

The Local Experience

Every morning of my stay, I’d go to the rooftop for some morning yoga. Before the sun was high enough in the sky, I’d stretch my body next to the plants that the neighbors planted and maintained. Afterwards, Knot and I would spend some time co-working before venturing on bikes to see different temples and notable spots. One place we went was a graveyard. I was skeptical at first, but when we rode up on the tombstones and lumps of overgrown grass, he explained that the city wanted to transform the space so it was usable for the living and still honored the dead. There was something poetic about that and I didn’t mind walking around the trail in the end. In addition to the bike rides, Knot showed us how to make a simple typical dish which was green curry. While I finished my last meeting, Knot and Nastia finished preparing the meal. I felt so happy and cozy in their presence and enjoying the typical food.

Thai Massage

Nastia stayed one night before heading towards Cambodia, but I stayed for three. On the second day, Knot proposed we get massages and for 240 baht ($7.29 for 2 hours), I couldn’t disagree with him. The two of us rode to the river where he offered a donation to a statue and rang some Buddhist bells with me. We arrived at his favorite massage place which had a ceiling filled with murals depicting different stories in Thai culture. The massage space had various mats on the floor and no private space except for the toilet and the changing room. Lying down next to a Thai woman and her son, I received a standard massage from a short Thai woman who laughed gently and chatted with her co-worker while she worked.

I loved the sounds of the women giggling and the occasional boat passing by. The sound of the water splashing against the wall and the gentle breeze blowing on my skin was also a welcome addition. It was my first Thai massage and I was grateful to get the local experience. It’s nice to see how other cultures do things.

 Lumpini Park

On my last day, I asked Knot if we could go to Lumpini Park. All the travel sites recommend this park and I was curious to see it. The first time in the city, I missed the chance to go because the public transport options to get there were long and complicated. Luckily, Knot was happy to take me and after we finished doing some work, we set out! Unlike the other places Knot brought me, it was necessary to ride our bikes down the city’s main street. This meant avoiding cars, obeying traffic lights, and dodging motorcyclists who didn’t signal. We stopped for lunch at a major hospital (something I found hilarious) and then went across the street to the finely groomed public park. We were within the park’s bicycle hours, so we rode around on the paved road looking for a shady spot to rest. Along the way, we rode around the prominent man made lake that featured a few water monitor lizards swimming. It was a spacious park complete with a group of musicians playing old style Thai music and free kayaks to use. The park was more manicured than I expected, but stretching out under a palm tree's shade with a view of the city’s skyline wasn’t the worst way to spend my afternoon.

Final Thoughts

Bangkok as a tourist was confusing and overwhelming. Bangkok with a local and a bicycle was actually quite nice. I’d like to thank Nastia and Knot for inspiring my change in perspective on this city. In the end, Bangkok is alright. 

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